Heavy Metal Summer Experience Jumpstarts Careers in the Trades

While most teenagers took a break from learning this summer, a group of rising seniors and recent graduates from Highline School District in Washington State set themselves up for a future in the skilled trades.

McKinstry partnered with Heavy Metal Summer Experience (HMSE) to spark student interest in the skilled trades. This year marked McKinstry’s fourth summer skills camp with the organization. Throughout the five-week program, 10 students received hands-on instruction across sheet metal, plumbing, pipefitting, low-voltage electrical and HVAC service.

“The students may say their favorite part was pipefitting week, or going on site visits,” said Jamie Whalen, social impact program manager at McKinstry. “For me, the best moment was when I would see the transition from ‘this is so cool!’ to ‘this is a future I want for myself.’ That’s the goal of this program — to provide young people with the opportunity to imagine a future they are excited to reach and set them up on a path to achieve it.”

A Life-Changing Opportunity

Gio, a rising senior, was always interested in the trades but gained more confidence in his strengths by participating in Highline’s Core Plus program. Applying for HMSE was “a no brainer” after friends working in the trades told him about the program.

D-Lan, a friend of Gio and fellow rising senior, is new to the trades and construction. D-Lan described the road to HMSE as “a crazy coincidence.” During the start of his junior year, he saw a plumbing ad and was inspired to learn more about that career, wanting to combine his love for math and passion for hands-on work.

For both Gio and D-Lan, the style of learning and the topics covered in HMSE have been refreshing. “I love how every day is different,” Gio said. “I was able to explore a lot of different opportunities that can challenge me.”

For D-Lan, seeing what a day looks like in the workforce allowed him to better picture himself in these careers. Students participated in hands-on demos in sheet metal, architectural metals, plumbing, pipefitting and electrical, as well as visits to Local 32, Local 46 and Local 66 unions and a McKinstry construction site.

From Camper To Skilled Trades Professional

Programs like HMSE are more important now than ever. At a time when more than 40% of the current construction and skilled trades workforce is expected to retire by 2031, McKinstry is pushing to build a younger, more diverse and more skilled workforce.

These efforts are already making a difference. Just two years ago, Alexander Griffiths was in Gio and D-Lan’s shoes, participating in HMSE at McKinstry and trying to get a sense of what life in the skilled trades is like. At the end of his HMSE program, he was selected for direct entry to Local 66, where he is a sheet metal apprentice today.

Though the transition from high school to apprenticeship wasn’t easy, Alexander describes his sheet metal exam this year as a turning point, going from barely finishing projects at the start to being one of the first to finish.

Two years after being granted direct entry, Alexander has found his confidence. “It’s nice to know that I can actually survive in this world,” he says. “I have a very positive outlook on my future now.”

Earn While You Learn

It’s a little-known fact that apprentices in the trades earn an income while they train for their careers. Apprentices can make nearly $300,000 over the course of four years of classroom training and 8,000 on-the-job hours.

After graduating from the University of Washington and struggling to find a path, Marchello Galvez, McKinstry’s field operations manager for electrical and an HMSE instructor, shifted gears and discovered that an apprenticeship was a great way to reach his goals. “These are life-changing careers that can move people up the socio-economic ladder,” said Marchello.

Although the demand for labor is high, apprenticeships remain limited and dependent upon the market. “I want people to know that I want the best of the best in the trades,” Marchello says. “I want to tell them how good of an opportunity it is for themselves and their family.”

A Dream Come True

The dedication and enthusiasm of this year’s cohort led several to earn direct entries into union apprenticeship programs, setting them on a career path that normally takes years to achieve.

At the HMSE graduation ceremony, D-Lan was announced as the recipient of direct entry into the Local 26 plumbing and pipefitting apprenticeship – an opportunity that he described as “a dream come true and gateway to a bright future.” Less than a year after he was inspired by a plumbing ad, D-Lan has found himself facing an incredible opportunity.

Six additional participants walked away from the program with the next steps for employment, including direct entry in Local 66, spots in pre-apprenticeship programs and a path to employment through the McKinstry electrical fabrication shop.